“Schools used as polling stations in GE14 have been notified”- Mahdzir

KUALA TERENGGANU, Feb 8 – Most of the 10,200 schools nationwide will be used as polling stations in the coming 14th General Election. Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said that the schools have been identified and the Election Commission has notified the ministry as well as the district education offices on which schools voters can go to cast their votes. However, the actual polling day has yet to be determined. “If it happens during the school term, we will make the necessary arrangements,” he said after a groundbreaking ceremony at the new site of SMK Serada here Thursday. The 18-classroom school costs around RM28.3mil to build and will be able to accommodate about 700 students when it is completed in 2020.

Mahdzir also said teachers can be involved in politics as long as they toe the line and not forget their positions as civil servants. He said teachers who wished to be involved in politics must also remember that there are rules to be followed. “This is a democratic country and teachers have a right to make a stand but there is no need to be excessive,” he said. On another matter, Mahdzir said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad can make all the promises he wants if he becomes prime minister but he needs to be realistic. “As part of the opposition now, he can promise the mountains and the skies but he needs to understand the country’s finances if he wants to carry out his plans,” he said.

Mahdzir was responding to Dr Mahathir’s recent statement during a Pakatan Harapan policy talk on Feb 7 where the former premier said he could solve the country’s problems in two years. The current Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman was prime minister for 22 years from 1981 to 2003. In his speech, Dr Mahathir, who is also Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for Prime Minister, also said he had enough knowledge and experience to solve the country’s problems, adding that the Opposition had solutions.-STAR